The Florida Heartland is a region of Inland Florida. It includes the counties of Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands, Okeechobee, Glades, Hendry, and the westernmost parts of Palm Beach and Martin Counties. The region is most known for its large agriculture sector, and shoreline along the large Lake Okeechobee. More sparsely populated than neighboring regions that have been pumped up by retirees and tourism, this area has remained more like "Old Florida".
This region has no salt water coastline. The advent of the Interstate Highway System (I-75 and I-95) and the Florida Turnpike diverted tourism away from this area towards the coastal parts of the state.
Major routes include the Florida Turnpike, US 17, US 27 and US 441.